Registration opens for the California Boutique Hotel Conference
Registration for the California Boutique Hotel Conference opened on 1 October. The conference runs 12 to 14 April 2027 at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Boutique Hotels of California presents the event.
The conference has a new name. It ran previously as the InnSpire Conference. The organiser states that the conference has been reworked to reflect California's independent lodging industry and the people shaping its future.
The programme grid
Day one is Monday 12 April. Registration runs from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and a welcome reception with informal networking and a no-host bar runs from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Day two is Tuesday 13 April. Registration runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Roundtable sessions run from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Two sessions follow, from 10:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The exhibitor marketplace and lunch run from 12:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Concurrent sessions run from 3:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. and from 4:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. The evening reception runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town San Diego, with Mexican fare, fire pits and a mariachi band.
Day three is Wednesday 14 April. Registration runs from 7 a.m. to noon and breakfast from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Four sessions fill the morning, from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m., 10:15 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. and noon to 12:30 p.m. Lunch and a closing speaker run from 12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Courtland Palmer takes the keynote
Courtland Palmer, president of the hotel brand Appellation, headlines the 2027 conference as keynote speaker. Palmer helps guide the company's growth strategy and long-term vision, according to the announcement.
Appellation Healdsburg, the brand's first ground-up flagship resort, was named the number one resort in California and the number one resort in the continental United States in Travel + Leisure's 2026 World's Best Awards. The award came less than a year after the resort opened. Palmer's background spans hospitality operations, hotel development, finance and investment banking, with hotel developments including Four Seasons, Montage and Marriott.
His keynote covers the trends shaping boutique hotel development, changing guest expectations and the characteristics that position independent hotels and emerging brands for long-term growth.
"Independent hospitality has always been about creating a sense of place, taking thoughtful risks, and delivering memorable experiences that guests can't find anywhere else," Palmer said. "At Appellation, we believe that place defines us, people power us, and food connects us, and that the most meaningful hotel experiences are those that are authentically connected to the communities and cultures around them."
The audience, in the organiser's words
Lynn Mohrfeld is president and chief executive of the California Hotel and Lodging Association and of Boutique Hotels of California. "Traveler expectations are evolving, independent hospitality is evolving, and this conference is evolving with them," Mohrfeld said. "The new name and expanded focus reflect the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit we see across California's boutique hotel community."
"The California Boutique Hotel Conference is designed to give boutique hoteliers a place to make connections, share ideas, have candid conversations, and gain valuable insights they can put to work at their hotels," she said.
Registration and pricing
Registration covers the educational sessions and panel discussions, access to the conference marketplace, the networking events and gatherings, and the conference meals and refreshments.
Pricing runs in tiers on the registration page. A member hotelier pays $749 for a single attendee and $1,299 for two under early bird pricing, against $849 and $1,449 at the standard rate. A non-member hotelier pays $849 for a single attendee and $1,499 for two under early bird pricing, against $949 and $1,649 at the standard rate. An aspiring hotelier registration costs $699, and a single-day registration costs $349. Early bird pricing runs through 31 December 2026. The organiser quotes groups of three or more by email.
Boutique Hotels of California lists its office at 414 29th Street in Sacramento. The announcement routes conference details and registration to CaliforniaBoutiqueHotelConference.com.